1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an article of manufacture, and more particularly, to a miniature compact disk cartridge ("mini-disk cartridge"), or the like, having an improved shutter locking mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, different types of media have been developed for storing digital and analog data. Examples of this type of media include: floppy disks having magnetic media within a flexible shell; floppy disk cartridges having magnetic media within a relatively rigid shell, and having a sliding shutter for protecting the surface of the magnetic media; compact optical mini-disk cartridges having an optical disk within a relatively rigid shell, and having a sliding shutter for protecting the surface of the optical disk; as well as many other types. Normally, a user loads these media into a read/write device for reading information from or writing information to the media device.
In the case of mini-disk cartridges, a mechanism within the outer shell maintains the shutter in either an open or closed locked position, depending upon whether the mini-disk cartridge is being used. For example, in order to protect the underlying magnetic, optical or other type of media, it is often beneficial to maintain the shutter in a closed position when the mini-disk cartridge is not loaded into a reading/writing device. This prevents a user's fingers or other material from entering into the internal portion of the mini-disk cartridge and potentially damaging the media. When the mini-disk cartridge is loaded into the reading/writing device, the reading/writing device may "unlock" the mini-disk cartridge, thereby allowing the shutter to be opened, and the media to be accessed.
FIGS. 1 and 2A-2C depict a mini-disk cartridge 1' having a conventional shutter locking mechanism. Referring to FIG. 1, mini-disk cartridge 1' includes a lower shell 5' and an upper shell 15'. Lower shell 5' includes various fastening bosses 45' located in corners thereof which correspond to similar bosses on an inside portion of upper shell 15'. Lower shell 5' also includes a read/write port 100' which allows a read/write device (not shown) to read information from or write information to a media disk 10' during an access phase. Additionally, lower shell 5' includes a drive port 30' which allows a read/write device to rotate disk 10' during an access phase.
During assembly of the mini-disk cartridge 1', disk 10' may be placed on top of the lower shell 5', a shutter-locking device 25' may be rotatably mounted on mounting boss 20', and upper shell 15' may be interlocked with and ultrasonically welded to the lower shell 5' using fastening bosses 45' located in corners of lower shell 5' so as to sandwich the disk 10' and shutter-lock 25' therebetween.
Mini-disk cartridge 1' also includes a sliding shutter 70' having a cover portion 75' for covering read/write port 100' when the cartridge 1' is not being used by a read/write device. Shutter 70' is slidably coupled to the lower shell 5' on a guide track 81'. Shutter 70' also includes a track grip 80' which has gripping tabs 82' for slidably gripping track 81' on lower shell 5'.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2A-2C, shutter-lock 25' is adapted to be rotatably mounted on boss 20' through bore 35'. Shutter-lock 25' includes a spring arm portion 40' which resiliently engages a stop 44' disposed on an inside surface of lower shell 5'. Shutter-lock 25' also includes a relatively stiff, thicker portion 50' which contains a recess 55' having a wall 52' and a hooked catch 60' opposite cam 52'. Shutter-lock 25' also includes a ramped portion 65' at a right hand side of an outer portion thereof.
FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate a sequence of positions of shutter 70' progressing from an open position in FIG. 2A through a position where tab 85' is contacting ramp 65' on shutter-lock 25' in FIG. 2B, and finally into a locked, closed position in FIG. 2C. Referring to FIG. 2A, a motion device from a read/write device may engage any outer portion of the shutter 70' such as recess 83 and move the shutter into an open position at its right-most end of travel, fully exposing read/write port 100'. When a user selects a function on the read/write device which ejects mini-disk cartridge 1', the motion device begins to translate shutter 70' in a leftward direction along track 81'. As shown in FIG. 2B, as the shutter 70' moves leftward, tab 85 engages ramp 65' and begins to rotate hooked catch 60' about mounting boss 20' against the spring bias of spring arm 40' and toward stop 44'. Finally, as shown in FIG. 2C, when the tab 85' clears a left-most portion of ramp 65', tab 85' also clears hooked catch 60' and fits within recess 55' when the shutter-lock rotates away from stop 44' from the bias of spring arm 40'. In the position illustrated in FIG. 2C, the shutter 70' is then locked into a closed position since cam 52' and hooked catch 60' rotate counter-clockwise with respect to spring arm 40' and lock tab 85' therebetween.
Finally, the shutter 70' may unlock the read/write device by engaging portion 50' with a pin-like device 110'. When a user inserts the mini-disk cartridge 1' into the read/write device, pin 110' rotates thickened portion 50' clockwise against the bias of spring arm 40' so as to clear tab 85'. A separate motion device within the read/write device then engages recess 83' and moves shutter 70' to an open position.
During the process of manufacturing the mini-disk cartridge of the prior art, automated machinery places shutter-lock 25' onto boss 20' of shell 5'. Several problems are associated with the placement of shutter-lock 25' onto boss 20'. Since shutter-lock 25' swings relatively freely about boss 20' and is an extremely small plastic part, it is difficult to keep shutter-lock 25' on boss 20' during the manufacturing process. Manufacturing machinery often vibrates shutter-lock 25' off of boss 20'. Furthermore, movement between manufacturing stations may also jar the lower shell, possibly causing the shutter-lock 25' to dismount from boss 20'.
Applicant's previous solution attempts to prevent the shutter-lock from dismounting from its mounting boss in a mini-compact disk cartridge. There, the mounting boss is split longitudinally. When the shutter-lock is placed onto the mounting boss, longitudinal halves of the mounting boss resiliently and radially engage the shutter-lock's mounting bore.
Although Applicant's previous attempted solution provides for adequate stability once the shutter lock has been placed onto the mounting boss, problems still remain in placing the shutter-lock onto the mounting boss. For example, during an automated manufacturing process, such as the one utilized to assemble a mini-disk cartridge, there exists little room for variation in the exact placement of the shutter-lock onto the mounting boss. Thus, if the lower shell becomes misaligned with respect to a machine which places the shutter-lock onto the mounting boss, or if the same machine begins to err in the placement of the shutter-lock onto the mounting boss, then the shutter-lock may be misaligned or partially mounted onto the mounting boss. Additionally, the shutter-lock may not mount onto the mounting boss and may lay on an inner surface of the lower shell. Therefore, even if the mounting boss is split, manufacturing problems may still exist regarding shutter-lock mounting procedures.
If, during the manufacturing process which assembles the mini-disk cartridge, the shutter-lock is misaligned, only partially mounted with respect to the mounting boss, or is lying on an inside surface of the lower shell, the shutter will not operate properly and damage to other internal components of the mini-disk cartridge may occur upon further assembly.